Delaware Catholic School Students Refuse To Go To Class As They Rally For Fired Principal
WILMINGTON, Del. (CBS) -- Some Delaware Catholic school students take a stand -- and a seat -- in hopes of sparking change at their school after a beloved principal is terminated.
Students at Padua Academy in Wilmington refused to go to class on Monday as they demanded their principal get her job back. They gathered in protest on the school's steps with the support of parents and alumni.
A wave of pink worn by Padua Academy students spoke to the overwhelming unity they shared as they gathered to rally outside of the classroom in support of their fired principal Cindy Mann.
The firing of Mann, the former principal of Padua Academy, came unexpectedly last Friday afternoon, which resulted in an immediate response with community members turning to a petition that demanded she be instated.
The decision to fire her came from the reverend of the associated church, St. Anthony of Padua Rectory. The reverend remained unreachable for any comments.
"What happened was wrong. She shouldn't have been fired so easily. Mrs. Mann is the definition of Padua," said Meghan Solge, a former Padua Academy student that started the petition.
Building on that momentum, students took to their campus today with posters and song to make their feelings known in a loud and impassioned protest.
"All of us here were devastated. We couldn't believe such an amazing woman has been fired," said Padua Academy senior Grace Digiovanni about the firing.
The students refused to go to class today with the support of their parents and alumni. They promised not to back down until their beloved principal was reinstated.
Their song, "We Are United," could be heard in the background among other chants of "Bring Her Back" and served as a sobering reminder that they will continue their battle in seeing that Mann returns to Padua Academy.
